Brazil prosecutors request Bolsonaro probe for inciting riot

TL;DR

Top Brazil court greenlights probe of Bolsonaro for riotRIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Friday authorized an investigation of whether former president Jair Bolsonaro incited the Jan. 8 riot in the nation’s capital, as part of a broader crackdown to hold responsible parties to account.According to the text of his ruling, Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted the request from the prosecutor-general’s office, which cited a video Bolsonaro posted on Facebook two days after the riot.He has taken up residence in an Orlando suburb since leaving Brazil in late December and skipping the Jan. 1 swearing-in of his leftist successor, and some Democratic lawmakers have urged President Joe Biden to cancel his visa.Brazil's Supreme Court agrees to probe Bolsonaro for riotAP-Week in Pictures: Global / Jan. 7-13, 2023Fans get Bolsonaro autographs as ex-leader rests in FloridaBrazil reckons with artistic treasures ruined in riotFollowing the justice’s decision late Friday, Bolsonaro’s lawyer Frederick Wassef said in a statement that the former president “vehemently repudiates the acts of vandalism and destruction” from Jan. 8, but blamed supposed “infiltrators” of the protest — something his far-right backers have also claimed.The accounts belong to a digital influencer, a YouTuber recently elected federal lawmaker, a podcast host in the mold of Joe Rogan, and an evangelical pastor and senator-elect, among others."

Like summarized versions? Support us on Patreon!